AlCircle News Edited By "Debanjali Sengupta"
Debanjali Sengupta is a passionate content writer with 10 years of experience in Business writing, Web Content writing, Blogging, Editing and Research. She is responsible for generating and editing content for AlCircle Newsletter and other online and offline content for enhancing the brand value and its visibility among global users.
Chalco selects Rizhao Port as the operator of Boffa Port project in Guinea
China’s Rizhao Port Group is reportedly chosen by Aluminium Corporation of China (Chalco) as the operator of the Boffa Port project in Guinea. The Boffa Port, part of the Boffa bauxite project, has a capacity of handling 12 million tonnes of bauxite per year. The port is expected to commence its operations in December this year. In June 2018, Chalco had signed an agreement with the government of Guinea to develop the Boffa bauxite project in the west of the country. The company was granted mining licenses for 15 years and renewable for next 15 years on expiry. For hauling bauxite from Guinea to China, Chalco had proferred a long-term shipping contract to the Chinese state-run shipping giant China Ocean Shipping Company, popularly known as COSCO or COSCO Group. Chalco already ordered a...
Former CEO of Aludium Arnaud de Weert joins GFG Alliance for its aluminium division
According to a report, the former CEO of Aludium Arnaud de Weert has recently joined Mr. Sanjeev Gupta’s international business GFG Alliance as a chief executive of upstream activities for its fast-growing aluminium division. After being worked with several esteem companies such as Novelis Inc., Alcan EP, Aludium, Mr. de Weert is one of the leading names now in the international metals and manufacturing industry. Immediately prior to his role at Aludium, Mr. de Weert was an operating partner at Atlas, a US-based private equity firm which bought Aludium assets from Alcoa. Before joining Atlas, he was North American President for Owens-Illinois- one of the world’s largest glass bottle makers and previously he’d held tops posts at global aluminium producers Constellium and Novelis. Mr. Weert...
Primary aluminium inventories dwindle 30,000 tonnes W-o-W; A00 aluminium ingot price rises by RMB10/t
Followed by the previous fall on June 24 to 1.061 million tonnes, the primary aluminium inventories today, on June 27, have come in at 1.051 million tonnes, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. This indicates that the inventories have declined by 10,000 tonnes over the past three days across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. A week ago, on June 20, the primary aluminium inventories were at 1.081 million tonnes, which shows that the inventories today dropped by 30,000 tonnes week-on-week. In Wuxi, Jiangsu; Shanghai; Hangzhou, Zhejiang; and Chongqing; the inventories have dropped week-on-week by some 21,000 tonnes, 3,000 tonnes, 12,000 tonnes, and 1,000 tonnes to stand at 353,000 tonnes, 60,000 tonnes, and 22,000 tonnes, respectively. In other major markets like...
Dongfeng Automobile plans to set up NEV supply chain fund of RMB 1.2 billion
Chinese automaker Dongfeng Automobile Co. Ltd. (DFAC) is reportedly planning to set up an industrial fund, focusing on new energy vehicle supply chain, in association with Beijing Ruihe Xinye Investment Co., Ltd. (R&H) and the state-owned Hanjiang Investment Holding. The fund, referred to as Dongfeng Hanjiang Fund, will involve in a total investment of RMB 1.2 billion. Dongfeng Automobile while announcing its fund setting plan on June 22 clarified that the fund would principally support the automaker’s NEV operation programme in terms of the automobile marketing terminal. The automaker at present owns three new energy passenger vehicle models - the Junfeng E11K, the Junfeng ER30, and the Junfeng E17. In a bid to increase the NEV sales, the company has formed a subsidiary firm Dongfeng New...
Henan province expects to boost aluminium products capacity to over 12 million tonnes by 2020
Henan province, China’s key aluminium production hub, has reportedly planned to cap its 2020 aluminium smelting capacity at 2.5 million tonnes per annum while shifting its focus on producing high-value aluminium products, reported the provincial government on Wednesday, June 26. The provincial government on its website explicitly mentioned that the province located in Central China is estimated to ramp up its aluminium products capacity to over 12 million tonnes per annum by 2020, in line with the mainland’s supply-side reforms and industry restructuring to focus more on value-added products. At present, Henan’s annual alumina producingcapacity is at 12 million tonnes, while aluminium and aluminium products 3.16 million tonnes and 10 million tonnes or more, according to data shared by the...
China’s aluminium scrap import in May recorded 15.81% rise month-on-month
According to Shanghai Metals Market, China’s aluminium scrap import increased 15.81 per cent month-on-month and 57.8 per cent year-on-year in May to come in at 177,200 tonnes. Importers’ rush to move the seaborne scrap metal into domestic markets before import restrictions on July 1 resulted in this month-on-month rise in China’s aluminium scrap import. In April, the country had imported 153,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, 21.6 per cent higher from 126,000 tonnes in March. This indicates that China’s aluminium scrap import increased month-on-month from March to May 2019. Imports in April had increased 37.4 per cent to 102,000 tonnes through general trade, the highest in 13 months, but decreased through processing trade by 7.2 per cent year-on-year to 51,000 tonnes. During January-February,...
Alba’s Line 6 expansion project likely to be completed by July 31, 2019
According to a recent report, Alba’s Line 6 expansion project is expected to be completed by July 31, 2019. The news came after the company’s CEO Tim Murray revealed the due date on the sidelines of the launch of Alba’s special summer Safety Campaign. In mid-April, Alba had started an additional 106 pots in Line 6 expansion, which brought a total of 212 pots in function, equivalent to 50 per cent of Line 6 production capacity. Tim Murray, CEO of Alba, said in an interview to Oxford Business Group’s online broadcasting channel, that once the state-of-the-art Line 6 expansion project is complete, it will boost capacity at the smelter by 540,000 tonnes, producing a positive knock-on effect on the national economy. “Today Alba and the whole industry is about 12% of GDP. With Line 6, the...
Nalco to invest INR 17,000 crore for capacity ramp up; INR 5,540 crore assigned for new alumina refinery stream
National Aluminium Company will reportedly invest INR 17,000 crore to enhance its production capacity. Nearly half of the proposed investment will be made in association with joint venture partners. The state-run aluminium maker will invest around INR 6,000 crore on its own for establishing some downstream projects at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district of Odisha, while some INR 5,540 crore for setting up a new alumina refinery stream that is likely to be commission in 2021-22. As per the report, the company has already found the land for its downstream projects and hope to start them within three years of receipt of all statutory clearances. Besides, Nalco will set up a high-end aluminium alloy plant with INR 4,450 crore of investment through joint venture partner Mishra Dhatu Nigam...
Weiqiao Group to assemble 542,000 tonnes of primary aluminium capacity to replace its old capacity
The Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong province announced on its website on June 14 that Shandong Weiqiao Group, one of the top aluminium producers in China, would replace its obsolete capacity by the end of the year. As per the report, Weiqiao Group would disassemble 543,000 tonnes of primary aluminium capacity and replace with new capacity of 542,000 tonnes. New capacity for replacement has finished construction and will expectedly come online once the obsolete capacity is removed in December. The disassembling work started in June. Weiqiao will also install new equipment in place of its ageing production lines. It will install 190 sets of high-performing 600 KA electrolytic tanks, while maintaining current capacity.
Incat Crowther bags a contract to design 65-metre, aluminium Korean passenger ferry
Incat Crowther, a leading naval architect and engineering service specializing in catamaran and monohull designs, announced that it bagged a contract to design a 65-metre catamaran passenger ferry, tentatively named Dolphin 3. The ferry, to be built by Khan Co. Ltd. of Geoje-si with marine grade aluminium and operated by Dolphin Shipping Co. Ltd., will reportedly operate in Korea linking between Pohang and the island of Ulleung-do. It will be the first locally-built high-speed ferry on the route. Incat Crowther will work with Khan to develop the construction capability for aluminium high speed light vessels, in compliance with IMO HSC Code and local Korean Register of Shipping (KRS) regulations. The 211.8-metre long vessel will have an accommodation capacity of 710 passengers over two...
Al Bustan Centre & Residence participates in EEG’s months-long aluminium can collection programme
Al Bustan Centre & Residence, the popular hotel-apartment among tourists and businessmen in the heart of Dubai, has reportedly participated in ‘Can Collection Drive’ organised by Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). As per the rule of the campaign, the employees of the hotel apartment vowed to deposit a specific amount of aluminium cans from April 1 to June 30, 2019, in a bid to educate the community people on sustainability, instil values of recycling in them, especially the younger generation, and achieve the objective of reducing waste to landfills. This is a small move taken by them as part of the commitment to the environment. Participants who will be able to achieve the target of depositing the required amount of cans will receive a certificate of participation and also a chance to...
Tesla’s request for Japanese aluminium import tariff exemption granted
The US Commerce Department has finally paid ears to Tesla’s request for10 per cent tariff exemption on Japanese aluminium used in the production of battery cells at Gigafactory 1, according to a report. The California-based automotive company had applied for the exemption on 10 million kg of aluminium produced by Nippon Light Metal Co. claiming that the tariff was increasing the cost of battery cells. The automaker also argued that it could not find the specific alloy in the US to replace the imported aluminium from Japan. While applying for the tariff exemption, Tesla had mentioned that it would require increasing the import amount of the alloy from 6.4 million kg per annum to 10 million kg this year for ramping up battery cell production. It had also described the alloy in the filling,...
A00 aluminium ingot price rises by RMB70/t amidst alumina price drop by RMB67/t
After two consecutive days of decline from RMB 13,920 per tonne to RMB 13,830 per tonne, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a rise today, on June 25, to RMB 13,900 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. This suggests that the price has grown by RMB 70 per tonne today. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,880 per tonne and RMB 13,920 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a discount of RMB 10 per tonne to a premium of RMB 30 per tonne. As the first half of the year is approaching an end, it can be said that until the middle of the last month the A00 aluminium ingot price has shown an upward trend with some intermittent downfalls. The increase in prices was buoyed by the continued decline in inventories. While the price had started the year...
Alcoa hopes to recruit more than 20 apprentices through 2020 apprenticeship recruitment campaign
Alcoa Corporation, the world’s eighth largest aluminium producer, has reportedly launched its 2020 apprenticeship recruitment campaign. Through this campaign, which will run until July 15, Alcoa hopes to recruit more than 20 apprentices. Four-year apprenticeships are on offer in the trade categories – mechanical fitters, fabricators/welders, heavy duty plant mechanics, and industrial electrical instrumentation technicians. Alcoa’s commitment to providing training and various job opportunities during an employee’s career add to the value apprentices place on the programme. For instance, Secret Harbour resident Paige Calvert is a first-year electrical instrumentation apprentice at Alcoa’s Kwinana Alumina Refinery. Human Resources director Kath Soumanis said the company seeks people who are...
Khalifa Port welcomes bauxite loaded Capesize vessel for EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery
Emirates Global Aluminium, popularly known as EGA, announced today, on June 24, that the first Capesize vessel fully-loaded with bauxite has arrived to call at any GCC port at its quay at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi for EGA’s new Al Taweelah alumina refinery. Using Capesize vessels for importing bauxite ore from the Republic of Guinea saved some shipping costs per tonne for the EGA, according to the report. To enable the Khalifa Port to accommodate Capesize vessels bound for EGA, Abu Dhabi Ports have reportedly modified the approaches to Khalifa Port by deepening it from 16.5 metres to 18.5 metres draft and widening from 250 metres to 280 metres. The Khalifa Port thus turned out the first one in the Gulf being able to accommodate fully-loaded ships. With a draft of 18.2 metres fully-laden,...
China’s bauxite import inches down 4.59% M-o-M in May 2019
After recording a month-on-month rise in April 2019, China’s bauxite import in May declined 4.59 per cent from April to come in at 9.71 million tonnes, according to China Customs data. In April 2019, China’s bauxite import was at 9.77 million tonnes after rising 24.5 per cent from a month ago. On a yearly basis, the bauxite import by China in the month of May stood up by 33.18 per cent, while in April the import volume was up 68.2 per cent from the same period last year. This brings China’s total bauxite imports to 47.03 million tonnes in the first five months of the year. The Republic of Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia remained the top three bauxite suppliers to China. The amount exported by them accounted for 92.12 per cent of China’s total bauxite import. Shanghai Metals Market...
Scania delivers eight new high-end trucks to K&S Freighters for transporting alumina
Swedish manufacturer of commercial vehicles, Scania, has reportedly delivered eight new G 500 prime movers to K&S Freighters in Newcastle for transporting alumina or coke from the port to Tomago Aluminium smelter. The trucks will run around-the-clock for six days in a week, across two12-hour shifts. The vehicles have a fridge, LED headlights, and a rear axle ratio specifically calibrated for the loads that they will be pulling over the mostly flat haul route. “We have undertaken a very detailed specification and build program for K&S Freighters for this contract,” said Scania Australia Fleet Sales Manager, Steven Alberse. The G 500s come with the highest standard of factory-fitted safety equipment, along with additional equipment such as dash and reversing cameras fitted by K&S. The...
Primary aluminium inventories drop 20,000 tonnes over the weekend ended on June 24
According to Shanghai Metals Market, primary aluminium inventories have further extended their downfall over the weekend ended on June 24 by 20,000 tonnes across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. The inventories are thus, now hovering at 1.061 million tonnes as of Monday, showed SMM data. Last week on June 20, the inventories of primary aluminium had declined by 37,000 tonnes to 1.081 million tonnes. This indicates that the inventories declined slower this week compared to the previous. In Wuxi, Jiangsu, the primary aluminium inventories today are standing at 366,000 tonnes after declining by 8,000 tonnes over the weekend, while that in Shanghai inched down by 2,000 tonnes to 209,000 tonnes. In Nanhai, Guangdong; and in Gongyi, Henan, the inventories have dropped by...
